Selva Valern weaved her way through the crowded Halburg Marktplatz, the scents of fresh bread and roasted meats mingling with the chatter of merchants and the clatter of hooves on cobblestones to form a exciting blend of sensations for the now nine year old half elven girl. Her bright green eyes shimmered with youthful excitement befitting her age while her long light brown braid bounced around behind her as her head swiveled from sight to sight. While the knowledge in the back of her mind that she was not allowed to leave the Governor’s Mansion without her parents made her feel an underlying sense of guilt for breaking the rules, her excitement far outweighed that guilt and drove her on through the streets.

  Selva had spent the first nine years of her life mostly cooped up in the Governor’s Mansion, learning things such as basic academic knowledge and manners befitting the daughter of a Governor. What little time she spent outside the walls of her home was with not only her parents but also a detail of Wintrenland Provincial Guards where she was forbidden from straying away from the group. Those forays into Halburg helped to stoke a simmering feeling of resentment and a yearning to explore by herself, and she finally had worked up the courage to sneak out as her father had given Selva a day off to rest from her studies while he attended to business in the city.

  As Selva explored the Marktplatz, she found herself drawn to a particular stall in a cozy corner a bit away from the bustling crowds. It was a toy stall run by a kindly looking older man, filled with various toys for boys and girls of all ages. From wooden play swords to slightly crude but ultimately cute looking dolls, Selva’s mind ran with the possibilities of what games she could play with each toy. Being the daughter of a Governor, Selva had received a few dolls from her mother to play with, but to see such a wide arrangement of toys beyond simple dolls filled her with joy. Of course she had no money on her as she had snuck out, and as such knew she couldn’t take any of these toys home with her, but that didn’t stop her imagination from running wild.

  Selva’s attention did not go unnoticed, and the stall keeper gave Selva a warm smile. “Welcome to my stall little miss! I see that pretty dress you have on and that sparkle in your eyes before…let me guess. A daughter of some noble perhaps who has been locked up in her home for her own protection has decided to sneak out of her prison and see what the big wide world has to offer…am I correct?” He asked, a kind yet amused tone in his voice.

  Selva froze as the stall keeper spoke to her, terrified at the potential trouble she could get in. This terror quickly faded as she heard the kind tone of his words, and she breathed a sigh of relief before responding.

  “It’s not a prison! It’s just…it’s just that I wanted to see Halburg without my parents or guards dragging me around!” she protested, puffing her cheeks a bit in a pout.

  The stall keeper merely chuckled at Selva’s response, stepping out from behind his stall to crouch down in front of the pouting girl. “That’s a perfectly okay point of view to have my little kestrel...after all even the best birds need to stretch their wings and fly a little every now and then. That being said, you clearly have snuck out without your parents knowing which leads me to the conclusion that you can only look at my wares without any hopes of buying any. Rule one of the outside world is that you need money if you’re going to get anything.” he responded in an amused tone.

  Selva felt herself deflate after hearing the stall keeper’s words, knowing full well that what he said was true. Lowering her gaze to the cobblestone street, she turned to leave when she felt the old man’s hand grab her shoulder in a gentle yet firm manner. He spun her around to face him once again, and this time he bore a supportive smile.

  “I didn’t say to give up, little kestrel. While I certainly can’t let you have one of my toys for free, I’d like you to pick a toy and try playing with it for a bit. Just point to your choice and I’ll let you take it for a spin.”

  Her shame and disappointment seemed to instantly vanish as she heard the stall keeper’s offer, and she excitedly began to look over her choices. While she usually liked to play with the dolls that her mother gifted her at home, her eyes eventually settled on a rather well crafted wooden toy sword. It wasn’t anything too special, just a generic wooden sword that a young boy could use to play soldier with his friends. While most girls her age would find such a toy boring or brutish, Selva was filled with a great sense of curiosity. She thought for a few moments, then firmly pointed to the sword. “That one please mister.”

  The stall keeper blinked for a second in surprise, before his eyes suddenly glinted in amusement as he pieced together something in his mind. He stood up to his full height once again and reached for the sword that Selva pointed to, pulling it off the hook it was hanging from.

  “I guess my intuition was right when I called you a little kestrel huh? Just be careful with this one…you might hurt someone with it if you don’t treat it gently” he replied warmly, before offering the wooden blade to Selva, handle first. Selva gingerly reached forward and grasped it, her curiosity only building as the stall keeper let go, feeling a bit surprised at how unexpectedly heavy it was for her.

  While the sword was indeed heavy for a girl her age, Selva found herself quickly getting used to the weight and decided to try a few practice swings. She felt the blade cut easily through the air, and flashbacks to her father training on the Governor’s Mansion parade grounds filled her mind as she waved it around. Focusing on a particular move that her father had made involving a spin attack, Selva tried to replicate it but quickly lost her balance and toppled to the ground. While the fall had been a little bit painful and certainly embarrassing, Selva quickly brought herself back to her feet and tried and failed to wipe the blush from her face.

  The stall keeper watched her with amusement, and once she had gotten back to her feet opened his mouth to say something when the voice of an arrogant young boy cut him off.

  “Look at that, boys! The filthy mutt girl has snuck out of her mansion and is pretending she’s a legionary!”

  Selva visibly flinched at the insults and turned to face the boy, her eyes narrowing at the sight of who spoke. Standing there in front of her was none other than Maximillian Acerbus and his two goons who Selva had honestly forgotten the names of. Maximilian Acerbus was the son of the prominent merchant Wilhelm Acerbus and heavily resembled his father. His short blonde hair was neatly combed, while beady hazel eyes peered out from his slightly pudgy face. Despite his slightly portly appearance, Max stood a hand taller than an average ten year old boy, giving him a keen aura of arrogance backed with authority.

  Max was the son of Wilhelm Acerbus, and Selva had had the distinct displeasure of running into him and his father several times before when her father brought her to meetings. While she was too young to understand much of the details, she had grown to dislike the sheer disdain that Heinrich and Max had shown to her and her father. Max catching her sneaking out was even worse however, as Selva knew without a doubt that he’d rat her out as soon as he could.

  “Shove off Max, this is my first time playing with a sword. Why do you even care?” she finally asked in a guarded tone. She stole a glance back to see the stall keeper, hoping he would come and break up the confrontation only to be shocked to see his normally jovial face hardening into a much more neutral one, though there was a strange glint in his eyes. She didn’t have much time to process the stall keeper’s facial expression as Max’s response drew her attention back to the merchant boy.

  “It’s a waste for a fine toy to be in the hands of a filthy creature like yourself. I mean seriously, look at how you bumble around like a complete idiot! Give it here and I might show mercy and keep your little stroll here a secret from your parents.” he demanded, a sneer adorning his face while his goons eagerly nodded their agreement.

  Normally, such a blunt and aggressive confrontation would send Selva into a terrified and sobbing mess on the floor, yet this time Selva felt a strange feeling building in her chest. It was more than a simple fear or even anger…it was more. How dare this fat excuse of a boy make fun of her like this? He was the son of a merchant, what did he know about sword fighting? Her grip tightened around the toy sword, and she took a step back.

  “It’s not mine, but even if it was there’s no way I’d give it to you and your friends. Why don’t you buy your own if you think you can do better?" She responded coolly. Max’s eyes widened in surprise at Selva’s defiant response before his face flushed with anger. By now, a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered to watch the fight unfurl, causing Selva’s heart to drop even more at the prospect of nobody coming to help her.

  “How dare you speak to me that way!" You filthy mutt, you’re outside of your cage without permission and you have the nerve to refuse me, the son of Wilhelm Acerbus? Apparently the traitor you call a father failed to teach you the proper way of showing respect to your betters! Boys, take that sword away from her and teach her a lesson!”

  As the boys advanced on her, Selva fought the urge to just turn tail and run. She now realized just how deep the trouble she was in, an enormous amount of fear built up in her chest as she watched them approach. Just imagining the trouble she’d get into if her father learned that she not only snuck out but also got in a fight was enough to push her to the brink of despair. Yet as she felt the wooden sword in her hand, the stall keeper’s words from earlier resurfaced in her mind. Just be careful with this one…you might hurt someone with it.

  Just like that her fear seemed to recede, replaced by that fiery feeling that she had felt in her chest before. Yes it was true that she didn’t know how to use a sword properly, but she wasn’t going to roll over and give up to Max and his goons. As the first bully approached, the wooden sword lashed out and the flat of it struck him square on the face.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The boy staggered back from the strike, more so out of shock than anything else, temporarily stunning the other two boys as they struggled to comprehend what had just happened. Selva, thrilled to have landed a hit, found herself caught in the moment and failed to take advantage of the bullies’ shock as they quickly recovered and charged her at once. Selva backpedaled as fast as she could until a loud shout followed by a red blur crashed into the two bullies and sent them sprawling to the ground.

  Stunned, both Selva and Max turned to see who had intervened and saw a rather sturdy looking human boy with fiery red hair picking himself off the ground. He swayed on his feet a little before quickly recovering and rushing to Selva’s side, his bright hazel eyes looking over Selva for any injuries.

  “You’re not hurt are you? It’s stupid to pick a fight with multiple people at once you know.” he asked her, his tone full of worry. Selva shook her head to not only dispel her shock but also to answer his first question.

  “I’m…I’m fine thank you.” she started, gathering her thoughts for a moment before suddenly shaking her head, annoyed at the boy’s presumptions. “Also don’t scold me! They started it!”

  The boy didn’t get a chance to respond as the bullies had once again returned, enraged that they were humiliated so easily. Selva struck out with her borrowed blade while the boy attempted to engage the other bully with his fists. The resulting brawl was quick yet painful as both parties scored multiple hits on their opponents. Soon however, a loud crack forced a pause in the brawl in fear that someone had actually been seriously injured.

  No one was hurt but the wooden sword. It had snapped after Selva had landed a particularly hard blow, leaving her staring bewildered at the now bladeless toy. This revelation seemed to shock Selva thoroughly enough to reset her evaluation of the situation and she dropped the broken sword in shock and fear. She slowly glanced back to look at the stall keeper, expecting to see a look of fury on his face for breaking the toy he had lent her. She was even more shocked to see an odd smile spread across his face.

  Shouts drew Selva’s attention away from the stall keeper, and she turned her head to see a group of guards muscling their way through the gathered crowd. Max, who had predictably stayed out of the fight the entire time, clicked his tongue and shook his head.

  “Don’t think I’ll forget this mutt. When my father hears about this you’re going to be in so much trouble!”

  With that, Max and his goons made their escape, leaving Selva and the unknown red haired boy alone to face the ire of the Halburg City Guard.

  Selva did her absolute best to keep her gaze firmly planted on the wooden paneled floor of her father’s study, struggling and ultimately failing to keep her tears from welling up in the corner of her eyes as her father silently gazed at her from across his desk.

  With Wintrenland being a rich province, the study in the Governor’s Mansion was an extravagant room fit with all the staples of Wintrenland’s proud history and culture. The walls and floor were immaculately paneled with fine oak timber, which was elegantly inlaid with various depictions of local wildlife ranging from picturesque to heavily stylized. Along the walls hung gleaming swords, shields, and banners bearing the insignia of each of the Cohorts making up the 1st Legion, all speaking to the proud martial tradition of Wintrenland. Two massive bookshelves full of all manners of different books covered the rear wall, which culminated in a grand fireplace behind the Governor’s desk.

  The desk dominated the center, made with the same rich oak as the rest of the room. The front of it featured a stunning carving of the provincial crest, which consisted of a depiction of Virnius’s sword crossing with Elanil’s bow under a shared sun while the Republic’s motto of “Unitas in Diversitate, Yhdess? Voimalla” inscribed underneath. In the middle of the crest was a small green shield with a depiction of a pine tree on it, the province’s denominator on what was essentially the national crest. Behind the desk, the backrest of the governor’s chair was also shaped like pine tree, with rich elk leather providing a comfortable cushion. In front of the desk sat two simple yet comfortable chairs worthy of bearing important guests.

  As soon as the city guard had arrived, they had immediately recognized Selva and quickly dragged her back to her home, leaving the fate of the boy who had fought at her side unknown to her. When she arrived at the Mansion, a furious looking Nimue and the ever stoic face of her father waiting for her at the front entrance met her. Nimue nearly fainted as she saw Selva covered in dirt and grime, her child’s once beautiful dress now ruined from the fight. She began to launch into a tirade, her emotions constantly shifting between pure fury, unmitigated worry and relief that Selva was alright amongst a whole score of other emotions.

  After enduring the storm that was her mother, Selva had been sent to clean herself up and get dressed before being sent to her chamber to await her father’s judgement. While her mother’s scolding had been incredibly difficult to endure without breaking down into a sobbing mess, Selva found the dread far worse as she sat on her bed waiting for her summons. The fact that Lucas had said nothing the entire time scared Selva to no end, and she feared what he might say or do to her.

  Lucas was the first one to break the silence in the study, letting out a deep sigh he got out of his chair and walked a few steps to the great fireplace that sat behind his desk and stared deeply into the flames.

  “Your mother is beyond furious, you know. She wants me to consign you to the library and your quarters, not even allowing you to step outside the Mansion for a few months at the least. You not only broke the rules and snuck out, but got into a fight with the Acerbus boy and broke property that didn’t belong to you, Selva.”

  His voice was eerily calm given the subject matter, and Selva flinched when she heard her mother’s proposed punishment. A few tears escaped Selva’s eyes, yet she fought to keep silent as she kept her gaze glued to the floor. She had come this far…to break down and start sobbing would be contrary to the bravery she felt during the fight.

  Lucas watched the fire for a few moments, then turned again.

  “With that being said, Selva…I have received the testimony of everyone who witnessed the fight, including the stall keeper who gave you the toy sword and the red haired boy who came to your defense. Everyone agreed that you defended yourself when attacked, and performed admirably despite being outnumbered and having no experience in fighting. So I must give you credit where credit is due.”

  With that, Lucas placed a firm hand on Selva’s shoulder, causing her to shudder uncontrollably as the addition of shock to her fragile emotional state finally sent her over the edge and she began to sob uncontrollably. Lucas wasted no time, and crouched down to wrap both of his arms around her in a tight hug, doing his absolute best to calm her down.

  It took Selva a bit to regain control of her emotions, her arms doing the best they could to return her father’s hug as she begged for forgiveness between sobs. Lucas had elected to not say anything in response, just letting his daughter let it all out without judgement. He was genuinely impressed at just how mature his nine year old was, and as he thought about his discussion with Virnius after Selva had been born he really began to see why the Gods had put so much stock into her.

  Once Selva had sufficiently calmed down, Lucas released her from his embrace and made his way back to his seat, a determined look in his eyes as he peered into the defeated yet accepting eyes of his daughter.

  “While you performed admirably in defending yourself, you still broke several rules and as such I have to punish you. It’s honestly earlier than I wanted, but starting tomorrow I expect you to wake up early and meet me on the training ground. You’re going to learn how to properly use a sword to defend yourself and begin your physical training. Do you understand Selva?”

  Selva was absolutely stunned at the punishment her father had handed down to her...if she could even call it a punishment. Not only would she not be put under effective house arrest, but she might begin learning something new? Her eyes twinkled a bit, and she struggled to hold back a relieved sigh as she nodded enthusiastically.

  Lucas smiled warmly at his daughter’s excitement for a few moments before his face turned serious again.

  “As for the stall keeper and the sword you broke…do you know who he was?” he asked in a stern voice, gazing deeply into Selva’s eyes once again.

  Selva’s excitement quickly vanished. She shook her head, trying her best to stare back steadily into her father’s eyes. While she had resolved to accept whatever punishments her father gave, she knew that there’d definitely have to be something strict for ruining the sword that the stall owner had let her borrow. She watched with apprehension as her father pulled out something wrapped in cloth a few moments later and put it onto his desk and finally spoke again.

  “His name is Helmuth Sapiens, and he was Legate of the 1st Legion during my father’s tenure as Governor. He swung by to tell me what happened at his stall, and as I mentioned before, he spoke highly of you. He wanted you to know that he not only forgives you for breaking the toy sword, but was also the one who convinced me to start your training early. He wanted me to give you this.” Lucas explained before unwrapping the cloth.

  Within the bundle was a wooden practice sword that had certainly not been at the stall. It was beautifully crafted, and as Selva attempted to pick it up she struggled a bit as the weight and balance caught her off guard. She simply marveled at its splendor for a bit, stunned at the sheer generosity of Helmuth before she suddenly remembered something important. She placed the sword back down onto the desk and spoke for the first time since returning back to the mansion.

  “Wh...what about the boy who tried to help me? Did he get in trouble?” she asked in a quiet, quivering voice.

  Lucas chuckled softly at Selva’s words, giving her a warm smile.

  “That’s definitely my girl Selva alright…using her first words after getting in trouble to ask about the status of others. Rest assured, the boy is fine…maybe even getting some praise from his father right about now. You see, that boy is none other than Kael Aelius, the son of the current Legate of the 1st Legion Heinrich Aelius and a promising young lad. I heard from the guards that Kael wouldn’t stop ranting about how the bullies treated you, and I’m genuinely glad he had the guts to stand up for you. He might one day prove himself as a capable bodyguard should you eventually succeed me as governor.”

  Selva felt a small smile form on her face as she learned that the boy who she now knew as Kael was alright. She didn’t get much time to bask in that warm feeling before her father once again got up and gestured for her to get up as well, to which she quickly complied. Lucas led Selva to the door leading out of the study and opened it for her.

  “You’ve been through a lot today, Selva, and you have a lot on your plate for tomorrow, so go get some rest. Know that your mother and I both love you dearly, and while you might not be getting in as much trouble as your mother wanted, you must learn from this experience and get better. Now sleep well, and I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early.”

  With that, Selva left the study with a newfound determination in her chest. The little kestrel would finally stretch her wings…and fly.